Sunday 21 November 2021
Christ the King - Solemnity
Vespers (Evening Prayer)
Introduction (without Invitatory)
If this is the first Hour that you are reciting today, use the version with the Invitatory Psalm instead.
O God, come to our aid.
O Lord, make haste to help us.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.
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Hymn
To Christ the Lord of worlds we sing,
The nations’ universal King.
Hail, conquering Christ, whose reign alone
Over our hearts and souls we own.
Christ, who art known the prince of peace,
Bid all rebellious tumults cease;
Call home thy straying sheep, and hold
For ever in one faithful fold.
For this, thine arms, on Calvary,
Were stretched across th’ empurpled tree,
And the sharp spear that through thee ran
Laid bare the heart that burned for man.
For this, in forms of bread and wine
Lies hid the plenitude divine,
And from thy wounded body runs
The stream of life to all thy sons.
W. Shewring
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Psalm 109 (110)
The Messiah, king and priest
“He must be king so that he may put all his enemies under his feet” (1 Cor 15:25).
He will sit on the throne of David and will rule his kingdom for ever, alleluia.
The Lord’s revelation to my Master:
‘Sit on my right:
your foes I will put beneath your feet.’
The Lord will wield from Sion
your sceptre of power:
rule in the midst of all your foes.
A prince from the day of your birth
on the holy mountains;
from the womb before the dawn I begot you.
The Lord has sworn an oath he will not change.
‘You are a priest for ever,
a priest like Melchizedek of old.’
The Master standing at your right hand
will shatter kings in the day of his wrath.
He shall drink from the stream by the wayside
and therefore he shall lift up his head.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
He will sit on the throne of David and will rule his kingdom for ever, alleluia.
________
Psalm 144 (145):1-13
The greatness and goodness of God
“You, O Lord, are the One who was and who is, the Just One” (Rev 16:5)
Yours is an everlasting kingdom; Lord, your rule lasts from age to age.
I will give you glory, O God my King,
I will bless your name for ever.
I will bless you day after day
and praise your name for ever.
The Lord is great, highly to be praised,
his greatness cannot be measured.
Age to age shall proclaim your works,
shall declare your mighty deeds,
shall speak of your splendour and glory,
tell the tale of your wonderful works.
They will speak of your terrible deeds,
recount your greatness and might.
They will recall your abundant goodness;
age to age shall ring out your justice.
The Lord is kind and full of compassion,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
How good is the Lord to all,
compassionate to all his creatures.
All your creatures shall thank you, O Lord,
and your friends shall repeat their blessing.
They shall speak of the glory of your reign
and declare your might, O God,
to make known to men your mighty deeds
and the glorious splendour of your reign.
Yours is an everlasting kingdom;
your rule lasts from age to age.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
Yours is an everlasting kingdom; Lord, your rule lasts from age to age.
Psalm-prayer
Lord, be near to all who call upon you in truth and increase the dedication of those who revere you. Hear their prayers and save them, that they may always love you and praise your holy name.
Or:
Lord Jesus Christ, you have revealed to the sons of men the wonders of your love and your Father’s faithfulness from all time. Listen to our hymn of joy: we praise you for all the things you have done; give all men bread at the right season, give them food for this life, and the mystery of eternal life.
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Canticle
(Apocalypse 19)
The wedding of the Lamb
On his cloak and on his thigh there was a name written: The King of kings and the Lord of lords. To him be glory and honour for ever and ever.
Alleluia.
Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,
his judgements are true and just.
Alleluia.
Alleluia.
Praise our God, all you his servants,
you who fear him, small and great.
Alleluia.
Alleluia.
The Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns,
let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory.
Alleluia.
Alleluia.
The marriage of the Lamb has come,
and his bride has made herself ready.
Alleluia.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
On his cloak and on his thigh there was a name written: The King of kings and the Lord of lords. To him be glory and honour for ever and ever.
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Short Reading
1 Corinthians 15:25-28
For he must be king until he has put all his enemies under his feet and the last of the enemies to be destroyed is death, for everything is to be put under his feet. – Though when it is said that everything is subjected, this clearly cannot include the One who subjected everything to him. And when everything is subjected to him, then the Son himself will be subject in his turn to the One who subjected all things to him, so that God may be all in all.
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Short Responsory
Your throne, O God, shall stand for ever and ever.
– Your throne, O God, shall stand for ever and ever.
The sceptre of your kingdom is a sceptre of justice.
– Your throne, O God, shall stand for ever and ever.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
– Your throne, O God, shall stand for ever and ever.
________
Canticle
Magnificat
My soul rejoices in the Lord
All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me, says the Lord.
My soul glorifies the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God, my Saviour.
He looks on his servant in her lowliness;
henceforth all ages will call me blessed.
The Almighty works marvels for me.
Holy his name!
His mercy is from age to age,
on those who fear him.
He puts forth his arm in strength
and scatters the proud-hearted.
He casts the mighty from their thrones
and raises the lowly.
He fills the starving with good things,
sends the rich away empty.
He protects Israel, his servant,
remembering his mercy,
the mercy promised to our fathers,
to Abraham and his sons for ever.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me, says the Lord.
________
Prayers and intercessions
To Christ our King, who is first in all things and in whom all things exist, let us confidently pray:
– Lord, may your kingdom come.
Lord Jesus Christ, our king and our shepherd, gather your flock from every corner of the earth:
set it to graze in your fresh and fertile pastures.
– Lord, may your kingdom come.
Jesus, our leader and Saviour, make all people your own; heal the sick, seek out the lost, preserve the strong:
bring back the strayed, reunite those who are scattered and give new hope to the downhearted.
– Lord, may your kingdom come.
Jesus, eternal judge, when you hand over your kingdom to your Father, seat us at your right hand;
and let us take possession of the kingdom prepared for us since the foundation of the world.
– Lord, may your kingdom come.
Jesus, prince of peace, destroy the weapons of war:
speak words of peace to your people.
– Lord, may your kingdom come.
Jesus, heir of all nations, bring all mankind into the kingdom of your Church, which was entrusted to you by the Father:
so that all may acknowledge you as the Head in the unity of the Holy Spirit.
– Lord, may your kingdom come.
Jesus, firstborn of the dead and first-fruits of those who sleep,
bring all who have died to the glory of your resurrection.
– Lord, may your kingdom come.
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Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
________
Almighty, ever-living God,
it is your will to unite the entire universe under your beloved Son,
Jesus Christ, the King of heaven and earth.
Grant freedom to the whole of creation,
and let it praise and serve your majesty for ever.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
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The Lord bless us, and keep us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.
Copyright © 1996-2021 Universalis Publishing Limited: see www.universalis.com. Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible are published and copyright © 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd and Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc, and used by permission of the publishers. Text of the Psalms: Copyright © 1963, The Grail (England). Used with permission of A.P. Watt Ltd. All rights reserved.